Earning Interest
by WeasleyForMe
Summary: Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione!
1. Chapter 1

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! Thanks to Grande.Vanilla.Skim.Latte for beta reading! Your pie is in the mail, darling. _

* * *

Bill Weasley straightened his tie as he strode down a long corridor at Gringotts, his other hand full of various proposals and folders. He didn't want to be late for his quarterly financial meeting, as he had decided long ago that work was the greatest means of escape from his often disheartening life.

"Good morning, Bill!"

"Oh, good morning, Hermione. How are you?" he politely asked his co-worker and friend.

Hermione made sure to smile coyly as she fell into stride next to him, wishing for once that she had the courage to wear skirts as short as the receptionists. Her heart skipped a little faster as she looked up at Bill Weasley; he seemed to get better and better looking every day, but he was oblivious to it. "I'm doing fine. Busy, but fine." She took a quick breath before telling him, "You look quite fit, Bill. Have you been working out?"

He blushed and shook his head, not quite sure what to say. He honestly didn't think he looked all that great. Having gone through both a werewolf attack and a divorce in the last five years, he felt worn out and unappealing, but there was something about the way that Hermione was always complimenting him that had him both confused and intrigued. "No, I haven't," he managed to reply with a shrug.

Still smiling, Hermione reached out and gently placed her hand on his arm. She shocked herself with her boldness, but pressed onward. "Would you like to get lunch with me today?" she asked, locking gazes with him.

Bill held her gaze for a moment before his eyes dropped to the documents in his hands. "Uh, sorry but I don't think I'll have much time to eat today." Hermione just nodded and continued to smile as Bill bid her farewell and continued down the hall.

She took the stairs as quickly as she could, and a moment later Hermione slumped down into her chair with a frown. It didn't seem to matter how many times she tried, it just never worked. Bill Weasley was somehow immune to her flirting, and it was driving her batty. "Gods, I must be the most un-seductive person who ever lived," she muttered with a snarl.

She shoved a pile of papers to the side of her Gringotts Wizarding Bank standard issue desk and reflected over her problem. At the root of the issue was none other than Fleur Delacour. Hermione rolled her eyes at the very thought of Bill's ex-wife and Veela extraordinaire. Hermione had that woman to thank and blame at the same time. First, it was because of her that Bill was now single, but it was her fault that Bill was so self-conscious about his scars, left over from the werewolf attack. But Hermione noticed that a number of women around the office took an interest in Bill after he and Fleur split up two years ago, but he never gave any of them a second look.

Hermione decided that it was also aggravating that _she_ in particular couldn't get Bill. He was older, nearly thirty-two years old, and he was also interesting, unlike the young men who were around her own age. She honestly couldn't understand the point in dating a twenty-two year old with no direction or mind of his own while Bill was single. She equated it to going out with Ron or Harry, and that was completely out of the question.

Hermione forced herself back to reality as she heard giggles approaching her office. She looked up to see Francine, one of the leggy, blonde receptionists with a wardrobe that made men drool. "Hi Miss Granger," Francine giggled. Hermione felt like biting her head off as she saw a few men pause at the door to look at the body that went with the high pitched voice. "Can you sign these documents and leave them on my desk before you go home tonight?"

"Fine," Hermione managed to grunt through her clenched jaw. She shot a nasty look at the men in her doorway and they scattered on impact. Taking the papers from Francine, Hermione grimaced and dismissed the girl, considering a shopping trip to acquire some new work clothes. It would be worth it if Bill were to take notice.

For the following hour, Hermione absentmindedly skimmed the parchments and scrawled her name across the bottoms of some of them. She was paying little attention to the words she was reading as she devised a plan. When she finished, she smiled and tossed the quill to the edge of her desk. She leaned back in her chair and laughed out loud. She mentally assured herself that she was intelligent and modestly attractive, and if there was any possible way to make Bill Weasley interested in her, she would make it happen. Wasn't she the smartest witch to graduate from Hogwarts in a century? Of course she was, but she needed a plan.

Standing, she quickly collected her work and strolled out of her office and into the maze of cubicles toward Francine's desk. Hermione skidded to a halt when she saw that Francine had Bill at her desk looking over a new proposal. As Bill tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear, Hermione felt the air squeeze out of her lungs. She sucked in a deep breath, hoping to slow her heart rate while the squeaky receptionist rambled on and on. Bill's brow scrunched up as he was obviously uncomfortable with Francine's gossip-laced voice.

"And then she got fired, but I think it was Claire's fault," Francine whispered, much too loudly to Bill. "You know Claire, that woman in Foreign Affairs with the bad complexion? Yeah, well it was her fault that three people from the department were let go." Bill shifted his weight from one foot to the other, as he looked up for a way to escape.

"Hermione," he sighed with relief when their eyes met. "I needed to talk to you." Bill quickly shifted his attention away from Francine, who quickly turned to another coworker to leach onto, seamlessly continuing her gossip festival.

"What do you need?" Hermione asked as her heart skipped rapidly.

Bill came to stand right next to her, still intrigued by the way she looked at him. "I got an owl from my Mum a little bit ago. She wanted me to invite you to dinner at the Burrow on Friday evening."

Hermione smiled, honestly happy that she had walked into the cubicles when she did. "Sure, I'd like that a lot."

"Great," Bill replied with a smile. "Well, I've got lots of work to do, but I'll catch you later?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip and nodded as Bill fumbled with his folders and walked away. She waited until he was gone before she squealed, drawing the attention of Francine. Hermione quickly cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes. "Um, here are those papers."

Francine took them, still looking oddly at Hermione as she ran back to her office. Friday was just two short days away, and there was a lot of planning to do.

* * *

_This is my first try at a chaptered story about Bill... I hope you like it! Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! Thanks to Grande.Vanilla.Skim.Latte for beta reading! _

* * *

In the middle of a fitting room, clothing strewn all around her, Hermione stood completely frustrated. She pulled on a charcoal grey suit and studied her appearance in the mirror; the skirt revealed her lower thighs and the jacket was cut very close to her thin waist. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at her creamy skin, and she tried to shimmy the skirt lower on her hips.

"I can't wear this to work," she gasped as she spun in front of her private mirror. She had decided to spend the afternoon on Thursday shopping for a new wardrobe. Having saved money for years without buying new clothing, she decided it was time for a change of pace. Three magical stores and four muggle stores later, she had yet to purchase anything, and she felt like crying.

She chewed on her lip as she thought of Bill. Perhaps he would appreciate the way she looked in something like this. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the slightly low cut shirt she had under the jacket. "It couldn't hurt," she said with conviction as she pealed off the suit and tried on some jeans and shoes, making sure they fit as well.

"Will that be all for today?" the cashier asked as she totaled Hermione's items.

"Yes, thank you." Hermione thought about how silly it was that she was going to all this fuss for Bill Weasley, but a mere thought of the man brought tingles creeping up her back and made her cheeks warm. She quickly paid for her things and hurried home.

* * *

Hermione crept into her office thirty minutes before everyone else had arrived on Friday morning. She was too nervous to just waltz into work in front of everyone dressed in her new purchase. She sat at her desk and busied herself with some forms and various journal articles, soon becoming lost in her work.

Bill hadn't been at his desk for more than a few moments when his supervisor dropped by with a stack of paperwork that would probably require several spells to keep the papers from toppling over from their own sheer weight. He rattled off orders and deadlines at a rapid pace before stomping off to harass some other unfortunate staff member. Bill tried to scribble down some notes, and soon it became obvious that he would need some help from a coworker in the Accounts Management department. Hermione's department. His heart skipped a beat.

"Get a grip," he muttered to himself, disgusted with his line of thoughts. He was much too old and ugly to be imagining how perfect she would look all tangled up in his arms. Although he found her immensely distracting, he had no choice but to go talk to her; very few members of her department were as proficient and intelligent as she.

Bill paused outside of Hermione's office, and as he was about to knock on the open door, his hand froze in midair. He looked at Hermione where she was perched on the corner of her desk and felt all of the breath rush out of his lungs. She was wearing perhaps the sexiest thing he'd ever seen her wear, although it was just a plain suit. Her shapely thighs were halfway exposed and accentuated by the stocking she wore. Her hair, which was usually tied back, was flowing down past her shoulders, resting just above her modest décolletage.

Bill sucked in a deep breath when he realized that Hermione's burgundy shirt was cut low enough to reveal the curve of her breast. He promptly dropped everything from his hands and stared unabashed at her.

"Bill!" Hermione exclaimed when she heard numerous notebooks hit the floor just inside her door. She jumped up to pick up the items and knelt down. Bill felt the need to pound his head against the wall to regain some form of normal thought as she knelt in front of him. When she stood, notebooks in hand, he finally noticed the black stiletto heels that she wore. He groaned loudly.

"Bill, are you feeling all right?" she asked with concern.

He cleared his throat six times before he answered. "Yes, quite fine." He tried not to look at her body as he explained that he needed her assistance with a few Gringotts customers.

Hermione listened patiently as Bill rambled on and on about the cases he needed help with. Or at least she was trying to listen as she felt her cheeks grow warm each time his eyes strayed past her collarbone and immediately snapped back up to her own.

"Don't worry about it, Bill. I'll take care of all of these cases," she assured him when he finished speaking, and a lopsided grin appeared on his face as he stood to leave. Once he reached the door he turned back to her.

"Still coming to the Burrow tonight?"

She smiled as she nodded.

"Good," he muttered as he took one last long look at her legs and disappeared from view.

* * *

Bill stood silently in his lonely cottage examining himself in the bathroom mirror. His cheeks looked permanently flushed; Hermione had done quite a number on him with her outfit. He even thought that his face looked more relaxed and, dare he say, younger.

He squinted as he turned his face to the side. As he ran his fingers along his jaw, he trailed the tips over his raised scars and marks left behind courtesy of Fenrir Greyback. He drew his fingers back into his palm and clenched his hand into a fist. The scars only served to remind him of his inadequacies. He slammed his fist onto the bathroom counter and cursed his life, his face changing quickly from carefree to pained.

"Bugger," he muttered as he rubbed his fist, which proved to be no match for the porcelain countertop. With one more wistful look at himself, he decided that Fleur had been wrong about everything; he was the same man, perhaps even a better man with his scars.

He set his jaw in a firm line and smoothed his hair. At least he knew that Hermione wasn't shallow. It was with that thought that he realized _he_ had been wrong about _Fleur_. She wasn't the most beautiful girl he had ever met; graciousness and compassion went a long way towards beauty, and Fleur possessed neither.

Bill took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he turned on the spot and Apparated to the Burrow for dinner.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! I hope you are enjoying this story, and please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! Thanks to Grande.Vanilla.Skim.Latte for beta reading! _

* * *

"It's now or never I suppose," Hermione muttered to her reflection. She'd been standing in front of her mirror for nearly an hour trying to make herself look perfect. She glanced once more at her still slightly bushy hair and modest amount of makeup; she was too afraid to do anything drastic with the eyeliner on her first try. Turning around in a slow circle, Hermione examined her new outfit.

"Sweet Merlin," she whispered. "These are too tight!"

The new jeans were hugging her hips as she tried in vain to hide her curves under a new formfitting black shirt. Anyone else would have told her that this was the perfect ensemble to wear to a casual dinner, but Hermione was a nervous wreck.

"It's only the Weasley family," she reminded herself. She spun around once more and smoothed her hair down. Then she noticed the time and quickly Apparated away.

Once she stopped spinning, she landed in the Weasleys' front yard and collided with Bill. She screamed and her hands fluttered to his chest to steady herself.

"B-Bill!" she gasped.

He held her firmly around the waist, pleased and shocked that Hermione had ended up in his arms mere seconds after he had arrived. He stared back into her wide eyes as she calmed down. "Are you all right?" he asked. When she nodded, he gently released her. She smiled and tried to take a step but started to topple to the side.

Bill grabbed her again. "Sorry," she muttered, realizing that the high heeled shoes were the problem. "Clumsy moment."

Bill grinned and then blushed, realizing how cute Hermione looked and how tight her shirt was. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words surfaced.

Suddenly the front door opened to reveal a brightly smiling Molly Weasley. She was eyeing her eldest son with his arms wrapped around Hermione, and her smile grew even larger. "It's so lovely to see both of you!" she called. Hermione and Bill jumped apart and both turned toward the house.

"Thanks for inviting me," Hermione said as she hugged the older woman.

"Now dear, you know you are always welcome in this house." Molly squeezed her tightly and smiled at Bill, hoping to convey that she thought Hermione was better 'daughter-in-law material' than Fleur had been. Bill just shuffled inside to talk to his siblings.

"Wow! Hermione, you look hot," George called from the living room. She smiled nervously at him as she entered the house, and within seconds, the twins were on either side of her.

"Nice jeans," Fred told her with a wink as he made a big display of checking out her rear end.

"Yeah, Bill is so lucky he works with you every day. That way he can check you out whenever he wants to," George added as he leered comically at her.

Hermione sucked in a deep breath, wishing that Bill did in fact check her out at work. She rolled her eyes, saying, "Keep your eyes on your own arses." The twins resorted to complimenting each other on their firm rears as everyone headed to the kitchen table to eat.

Conversation fell into a normal pattern as the Weasley men rammed multiple servings of stew into their mouths. "I need to be excused," Ginny announce as she set down her napkin and took her bowl to the sink.

"Where are you going?" her father asked her.

"I have a date," she muttered. "Dean is taking me to the cinema." Ginny blushed as her brothers all hooted and hollered at her. She glared at them. "It's not like any of you can even find dates, so shut it."

"Yes," Molly spoke up as Ginny left. "Why don't the rest of you have dates? You should all be looking for spouses! I'd very much like some grandchildren before I die!"

The boys all rolled their eyes. "Actually Mum, you don't need to be married to have children," Fred told her with a completely straight face.

"That's right," George added. "I could go out and make you a grandchild right now!" Hermione and Arthur hid their laughter behind their napkins

Molly glared at the twins and shook her head. "You know very well that I will not permit you to conduct yourselves in that manner." The twins started pouting which made Hermione laugh even harder.

"But what about the rest of you?" Molly asked. "I mean honestly, Bill, I'm sure there are plenty of women at Gringotts that would love to go out with you." She looked pointedly at Hermione as she finished the sentence. Bill's eyes went wide, as did Hermione's. They looked at each other for a moment as the others all fell silent. Hermione could feel her heart pounding as she wished and hoped that Bill would let on that he had feelings for her.

"Can we discuss this later?" Bill whispered. Hermione's heart sank as Molly stood to retrieve dessert while Bill stared at the table. Hermione looked at his inclined head of ginger hair, and she wanted to scream. Never had she ever seen a man so insecure in his own skin, and once again she felt the urge to find and destroy Fleur Delacour for putting Bill in this state.

Once a plate of blueberry pie had been set down in front of her, Hermione returned her attention to the conversation. The twins were talking about their shop, much to the annoyance of Molly. Hermione took a bite of her pie and noticed that Bill was looking at her. Well, he was looking at her chest to be exact. When his eyes met hers, he blushed and cradled his forehead in his hand.

Hermione thought to herself, "_Well at least the shirt was good for something_."

She quickly finished her pie and offered to help wash the dishes, but of course Molly wouldn't hear of it.

"Bill, why don't you walk Hermione out to the Apparation point?" Molly suggested with an innocent smile. Bill, who already looked worn out from the dinner conversation, nodded and followed Hermione to the front door.

Once they were standing on the garden path, Hermione stopped and smiled up at him. She took a deep breath before she blurted out, "You know, Bill, maybe we could go out on a date sometime if you wanted to, because I think it might be fun."

Bill just stared at her; his expression was a mix of sadness, surprise and self-pity. He was shocked that she had asked him out for something other than a friendly lunch as coworkers. "_She obviously feels sorry for me_," he thought. As he looked at her sweet face and sexy outfit, he wanted to say yes, but he knew he wasn't good enough for her. "I'm sorry, but I don't really date," he replied awkwardly.

"Oh," she whispered in response. "Well, I'll just be going then." Hermione quickly turned and Apparated away before he could read the disappointment on her face.

Bill stepped forward, but she had already gone. He let out the deep breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. "Bill Weasley, you are an arse."

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_You should leave a review so I get my arse in gear and update sooner! Thanks so much for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! Thanks to Grande.Vanilla.Skim.Latte for beta reading! _

* * *

Bill growled as he turned back to the Burrow, muttering as he walked. "She was just trying to be nice, and you had to go and be a complete wanker." He didn't know why it was so difficult for him to be friends with Hermione, but it probably had something to do with the tight feeling that he got in his stomach when he looked at her. He wasn't quite sure why, but Hermione had suddenly become very attractive to him. He had to find a way to get her out of his mind.

"Are you sure you don't want more dessert, Bill?" his mother asked as he walked back inside.

George poked Fred and whispered, "I think he just had some _dessert_ with Hermione."

Fred snickered. "I would have rather had that than the pie. What a lucky bastard," he said as he looked at Bill.

Bill shot the twins a nasty look; it bothered him that they would talk about Hermione that way. Sure, she was entirely physically lovely, but she was better than that. "I did not have any _dessert_ with her, so why don't you just grow up."

"Oh no," George replied. "Bill doesn't like it when we talk about his girlfriend like that."

Bill rolled his eyes and quickly kissed his mother before heading to the fireplace to floo home. He landed hard in the living room of his cottage and sighed. If Hermione really were his girlfriend, he imagined he would be much more cheerful than he had been lately.

* * *

Hermione spent the entire weekend analyzing what she could have possibly done wrong during dinner on Friday. She thought she had done well with her outfit and makeup, but perhaps she'd read Bill incorrectly; maybe he didn't like her new clothing. She spent the day on Sunday snuggling with Crookshanks and trying to come up with a new game plan.

"What do you think, Crooks?" she asked her half-cat half-kneazle. He looked up at her with an annoyed purr. "What will help me win Bill Weasley?"

Crookshanks jumped off her lap and sauntered over to his dinner, giving Hermione an idea. Of course, food was the way to win all men.

* * *

Bill had a headache. Not just any old headache, but the kind that made you want to crawl into the darkest, most silent cave in the world and hibernate. And to make matters worse, it was only Monday. In a fit of complete frustration, he told his receptionist to cancel the meeting he had scheduled for noon; he was going to take an extra long lunch.

As he made his way into Gringotts' cafeteria, he made a beeline for his usual seat as he waved distractedly to a few coworkers who called his name. His stomach growled as he walked, and he suddenly wished he'd taken the time to pack a lunch.

"Bill!" he heard someone call. He looked up to see Hermione seated across from his usual seat, and his heart lurched from his chest down to his groin and back up again. She was wearing another suit that Bill deemed extremely sexy, although she had more skin covered than half of the other women around them. He slipped into his chair as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Hermione," he croaked out with a nod. She smiled at him and tossed her long hair over her shoulder. Her lacy white blouse was peeking out from her plain grey suit, causing Bill to have a flashback to Friday; honestly, where was this woman buying her fantastic clothing?

"You look like you've had a long morning," she commented. Earlier in the morning, Hermione had heard from one of the secretaries that Bill was being rather grouchy, which made Hermione look forward to lunch even more. She was going to make it her mission to cheer him up. After all, Hermione was nothing if not persistent, and she knew she wanted Bill.

Bill massaged his temples. "You have no idea. Does it ever seem to you like half of the people around here never do their jobs?"

"Absolutely," she assured him. "However, I for one pride myself on my work." She smiled brightly as he cracked a small smile. "Oh, speaking of which, I'm nearly done with the paperwork for those cases you gave me last week."

Bill looked gobsmacked. "I just handed those to you on Friday."

"I know," she responded as she opened a large, brown, lunch bag and pulled out a huge lunch. Bill's stomach began to growl, and Hermione put on a look of innocence. "I think I packed too much for my lunch. Say, would you like to share it with me, Bill?"

He looked at the numerous sandwiches, mixed nuts and home-baked cookies that she set out. She passed him a carton of juice, evidence that she had made up his mind for him. "Thanks, Hermione. I seemed to forget to pack a lunch this morning."

She smiled as they ate and chatted about anything but work. Bill shoved five cookies in a row into his mouth as he listened intently to a funny story about the day Hermione moved into her apartment and realized that all of the wallpaper was peeling off. He then told her about the work he was doing to his cottage.

"You're redecorating the den?" she asked. "Let me know if you need help. I think I can sew curtains."

Bill laughed heartily. "You _think_ you know how to sew curtains?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes playfully. "Ok, so I'm not exactly 'Susie Homemaker', but how hard could it be to make some curtains?"

"We'll find out, I guess, because I definitely want to see if you can do it!" he told her. "My room is blue and white," he told her with a grin.

She pulled out her day planner with a wicked grin. "I believe I have time on Friday evening to take measurements," she joked as she flipped through the week.

"Sounds good to me," he agreed. His eyes met hers and his heart stopped. "Maybe I can cook dinner for you while you take measurements?" he blurted before he had time to think.

Hermione's eyes went wide before she blinked several times. "I'd like that a lot," she told Bill, who was looking like he might pass out. He was trying to process the fact that he had just asked her over for dinner and the fact that she agreed.

Bill nodded slowly as Hermione stood. "Well, I should get back to my office. Will you stop by and pick up the paperwork later, or should I drop it off?"

Bill cleared his throat and muttered, "I'll stop over later. Thanks for the lunch."

She nodded and smiled as she sauntered away, tempting Bill to the edge of reason with her black stiletto heels. As she disappeared from sight, he realized that his head was no longer pounding and he felt rather relaxed. Then he remembered that he had to learn how to cook a proper meal by Friday evening. A very anxious Bill returned to his office with a bounce in his step.

Hermione managed to get to her office and close the door before erupting into a fit of giggles. She jumped and bounced around for a few minutes before finishing Bill's paperwork and planning another shopping trip.

* * *

_Thanks for reading this chapter! Sorry it took me so long to finish it! I hope to update the next part quickly :)  
_

_Please leave a review!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! Thanks to . for beta reading and for being generally amazing! _

_

* * *

_

Hermione was never one to indulge her inner shopping addict, simply because she never knew she had one. However by Friday afternoon, she had acquired several new outfits and entirely too many pairs of shoes, and was stressing over which combination to wear to Bill's cottage.

"His favourite colour is red, right?" she asked Crookshanks who merely swished his tail in response. "Or was it green?" She dropped a red blouse from her hand and snatched up a green shirt in its place. "Oh bugger, maybe it's blue!" Hermione sighed and turned to reassess herself in the mirror and was greeted by a much more pleasant image than she had expected.

Her deep violet tank top hugged her body and ended just above the snug denim jeans that she could scarcely believe she purchased of her own accord. She also noticed the pink tint that stained her cheeks, the result of thinking about Bill nonstop while she dressed. Although she hadn't seen much of him at work after Monday, she had felt his eyes on her in the cafeteria and while she was dropping items off for Francine. He made her feel warm without so much as a touch or a spoken word.

"Actually, this will do just fine," Hermione told her reflection. Crookshanks mewed his consent as Hermione slipped a black, lightweight blazer over her shirt and slid her feet into purple ballerina flats. "Just a little bit of makeup, and then I'll be out of your hair for a little while, Crooks."

* * *

"Um, exactly how long were the two of you planning on staying?" Bill asked his twin brothers as they made themselves at home in his den.

Fred plopped down in an arm chair and picked up a magazine as George sprawled across the sofa with his feet extending over the arm. "Until we feel like leaving, I would assume," Fred mumbled as he skimmed the latest issue of _Financial Frame of Mind_ before tossing it aside again.

"Is there any possible way that you might feel like leaving very soon?" Bill questioned as he glanced at the clock on the far wall. He was expecting Hermione in less than and hour, and he was nowhere near confident that his meal would be edible if he were rushed in the kitchen.

George eyed Bill skeptically. "Have plans?"

"Maybe," Bill answered, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He needed to remove his siblings as quickly as possible. "I have some things to take care of, so why don't the two of you come back tomorrow?"

Fred and George glanced at each other before turning identical gazes on their eldest brother. "You wouldn't happen to have a date, would you?" Fred asked with a smirk.

"None of your business." Bill shifted nervously again and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"He has a date," George confirmed to his twin after a moment. "And do you see the way his face looks? The way he's all flushed and sweaty? I think that basically tells us that he's seeing Hermione."

"Right you are," Fred nodded. "He looked the same way at dinner last Friday. All nervous and afraid."

Bill glared and crossed his arms. It was useless to deny it. "I'm not afraid, alright? Maybe nervous, I guess. I'm just not sure exactly what I want or what I should do, and yes, fine you win, I'm totally afraid."

Fred and George stood placed a hand of both of Bill's shoulders. "Our advice to you is to get Hermione to drink as much wine as possible and make out with her before she realizes what happened," George told him sincerely.

"That's basically the only way you'll get any action out of her. And trust us, you could use the action," Fred added.

"Seriously, can the two of you just leave now?" Bill grunted.

Fred and George stepped away from him. "I'm telling you, at least two bottles of wine, big brother," Fred said with a wink as he Apparated away.

"Good luck. You'll need it," George proclaimed as he vanished as well.

With a rather hopeless feeling in his stomach, Bill rushed into the kitchen and followed the recipe he had begged his mother for. Spaghetti and meatballs was the easiest thing he could think of, and Molly was only too happy to part with her secret recipe to help her son on what she suspected was a date. He set the sauce and meatballs to simmer and the noodles to boil while he hurried to his room to change his shirt.

He felt almost presumptuous when he grabbed a dress shirt. "She just coming over to measure your windows," he reminded himself as he put on a plain t-shirt. "This is not a big deal." Then why did he feel like his heart was racing out of control? He slipped into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. As he toweled off, he heard someone land near his fireplace.

"Bill?" Hermione called from the den. As he rounded the corner and saw her, his knees nearly gave out. She was holding a tape measure and a notebook and looking good enough to snog.

"Hermione," he whispered as she turned to face him completely, and her face broke into a smile as she looked at him. "_She doesn't even seem to notice the scars,_" he thought with wonder. He was also puzzled by how she managed to look so cute and sexy at the same time. "Are you prepared to _try _to measure for some curtains?" he asked with a grin.

"Hey, I'm quite confident that I can measure correctly," she informed him. "It's just the sewing part that I'm only pretty sure I know how to do."

Her smile was contagious, and they were both laughing as she measured the first window and had him record the numbers in her notebook. "Are the other windows the same size? Or should I make sure?" she asked.

"Better check to be certain," he said, smiling down at her. His smile turned to a look of pure pleasure as she set down the tape measure and slipped out of her blazer without breaking eye contact with him. "Lead the way," she whispered, referring to the measuring the next window. She was trying to formulate a plan to urge him closer to her body, but could barely focus on anything other than the way his t-shirt was stretched taut over his biceps.

Bill felt an uncontrollable urge to run his fingers along her bare arms and taste her lips. Before he could stop himself, his fingertips made contact with the strand of hair draped over her shoulder and skimmed the length of her arm. Hermione nearly cried out from desire at the feel of his hand on her. Making up his mind, Bill licked his lips nervously as Hermione took a sharp breath and broke the moment.

"Is something burning?!"

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_I'm back! Wow, that was some serious writer's block... My apologies for being gone so long!! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. I have already started the next one, so it should be done soon! Please leave me some reviews!!!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! Thanks to Grande Vanilla Skim Latte for beta reading and for being sweet!_

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Bill was going to do it. He couldn't stop himself. And he didn't even need two bottles of wine to help him out. He was going to taste Hermione's lips, because now that he was this close, he needed to do it for his own sanity. Just as he licked his lips, his heart fell at look of horror on her sweet face.

"Is something burning?!"

Bill froze and let her words sink into his lust-filled brain. He deeply inhaled the scent of burning tomato sauce. "Bollocks!"

He dashed toward his kitchen with Hermione close behind to find that his dinner had turned into a smoking, burnt mess all over the stovetop. He deftly pulled out his wand and gently deposited the pots into the sink. Turning back to face Hermione, he laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Will you let me take you out? It's the least I can do if you _think_ you'll be making curtains for me."

Hermione giggled, also apparently nervous, as she looked past Bill at the gurgling sauce and blackened pasta. "You don't need to go to the trouble of taking me out," she told him as her stomach growled loudly.

"I beg to differ," he said as he took her hand in his much larger one and Apparated both of them to a crowded sidewalk in the middle of Diagon Alley. "What would you like to eat? Take your pick."

She looked up and down at the store fronts and restaurants that were illuminated against the darkening city sky. "Honestly, I'll eat anything, but we'll never get a table on a Friday night without reservations," she murmured as a passerby bumped her flush against Bill's firm chest.

He held her by the elbows to keep her steady. "I know where we can get a table," he whispered as she looked up at him. Forcing himself to focus on the task at hand, Bill stepped away from her and led her down the crowded sidewalk gently by the elbow.

They turned a corner past Fred and George's shop and Hermione found herself at a trendy restaurant that she had heard mention of from a number of her coworkers at Gringotts. The neon blue lights flashed _Everard Eddington's Eatery_, sporadically illuminating the dark side street.

"Bill, everyone eats here! Honestly, we can just grab a sandwich somewhere that has an open table." Hermione was slightly exasperated; Everard Eddington was a chef famous in the wizarding world for his delicious food and numerous restaurants that never failed to pack in the patrons.

Bill just smiled and held the door open. "We can get a table here. Why go elsewhere?"

Hermione shook her head and stepped inside to find that every table was full of guests enjoying themselves. Those who weren't seated were piling plates full of food from the multi-tiered buffet.

"Bill Weasley! I haven't seen you in months!" shrieked the tall blonde hostess as Bill stepped next to Hermione. "How are you?" she asked as she reached for Bill and gave him a kiss on the cheek, very close to his lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and Bill hugged her tightly. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest as she noted how attractive the other girl happened to be, and how Bill didn't seem to be pulling away any time soon.

"I'm doing fine, Lizzie," he assured her as they finally separated.

She sighed and shook her head at Bill. "You know you're asking a lot showing up on a Friday with a date expecting me to find you a table," she said as she glanced around the restaurant. "Follow me," Lizzie told them with a small smile in Hermione's direction.

Bill didn't mind that Hermione was referred to as his date; it was definitely even something he could get used to. He was praying that she didn't flinch at the thought of it as he pulled out one of the chairs at the tiny table that Lizzie led them to. Hermione took a seat as the hostess abandoned them, and they ordered drinks.

"That was really very sweet of her to get a table for you," Hermione said, almost too casually, hoping to learn more about the leggy blonde.

"Yeah, Lizzie is a sport," he replied taking a sip of his Butterbeer.

"Seems it," Hermione murmured into her own bottle. "Did you used to date her or something?" she prodded.

"Lizzie? No," he snorted. "She was a Hufflepuff in my year at Hogwarts. She was married to Paul Marblestone for five years. He was killed in the war. Took four Death Eaters down with him."

"I remember him," Hermione said with a nod. "Lizzie must be lonely."

"She is, but she's definitely not ready to forget about Paul." Bill couldn't help but realize how very ready he was to forget about Fleur. All of the promises of a marriage and a happy home were destroyed by her negativity and selfishness. She broke him in many ways. And of all the women he knew, Hermione seemed to be the only one he wanted to think about in her place, someone who would give rather than constantly take.

"Someday Lizzie will be ready to move on," Hermione assured Bill.

Bill grinned as she pulled him away from his thoughts. "I think Charlie always had a thing for Lizzie. I should let him know she works here."

"Oh, great idea," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Between the two of you stopping by and bugging her, she'll never get any customers to their tables."

"I resent that," Bill said with a pout. "Be nice. I _did_ get you a table at Everard's after all!"

"Hardly. Lizzie got us the table!" Hermione grabbed his hand and stood with a grin before he had a chance to respond. "Let's get up to the buffet. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't make a beeline for the food as soon as we got here. Don't tell me you're losing your Weasley appetite!"

Bill took this as a challenge, and made it a point to show just how well he had retained his ability to eat. He laughed easily with Hermione as he managed to eat three times as many platefuls of food as she had.

"Oh, I meant to ask you," she said as she pushed her empty plate aside. "Do you know an advanced sticking charm for domestic purposes? The wallpaper in my hallway outright refuses to stay on the wall!"

"I do. And I'll tell you what… if you can pull off the curtains, I will gladly stop by and make your wallpaper stick," he replied with a wink.

"Deal," Hermione said with a brilliant smile. Flirtation was surprisingly comfortable and welcome with this much younger and extremely intelligent witch, a fact that was undeniable to Bill. She held out her hand and they shook on their deal. "Are you ready to head back? I still have two more windows to measure," she told him, not bothering to remove her hand from his.

As they stood, they both heard an all too familiar raspy gasp and turned in time to see Francine gaping at them. She was with a gaggle of other Gringotts secretaries who were now all looking in the direction of the pair holding hands. "Oh no," Hermione groaned as the other woman approached. "Hi Francine," she managed to say.

"Fancy seeing the two of you here," Francine squeaked. She eyed Bill and then switched her focus to Hermione. "I didn't know you went out." Before they had a chance to respond, Francine was ushered to a table by her companions. "See you on Monday."

Hermione and Bill quickly exited the restaurant. "Just our luck!" Hermione exclaimed once they were on the sidewalk. "That woman creates all mischief at work."

"True," Bill agreed. "But what's the worst that could happen?"

Hermione pondered as they walked to the Apparation point in the center of Diagon Alley. "I'm sure she will start a rumor of some sort about a fictitious, torrid love affair between the two of us. Or about how we have to keep it a secret at work so I don't end up getting a promotion because of you. Or about how we were trying to run and hide when she saw us together. Or about how I have been secretly dating you since I was in my fifth year at Hogwarts," Hermione giggled as she said the last bit.

Bill shook his head. "There's no way Francine is that creative!"

"That much is for certain," Hermione agreed.

Bill glanced down to have a peek at Hermione as they walked. His entire body was aware of her close proximity; every time her arm brushed lightly against his hand, he felt his flesh tingle and beg for more.

"Maybe she will forget she even saw us by Monday," Hermione mused as they reached the Apparation point.

"Well if not, I certainly hope you can handle the plain, old, boring gossip about how you're dating the hideously scarred Bill Weasley from the Financial Proposals department."

His tone was joking, but his words were all too serious for Hermione as she examined his features in the moonlight. "Well I hope you don't mind the rumors involving the dashing Bill Weasley being seen with the bushy haired know-it-all," she said with a smirk as she Apparated away.

Bill appeared back in his den just a moment after her. She was already measuring the final window and jotting down the numbers when he spoke. "You know, I think I could handle such rumors."

Hermione blushed and smiled as she hesitantly closed the gap between them and kissed him squarely on the lips. She brushed her fingers up his arm and through his messy hair before pulling away. "I could as well. Thanks for dinner," she whispered as she pulled out her wand and vanished from the room. Bill hardly had a second to realize she had kissed him before it was all over. But after just one kiss, he was quite certain that he needed to feel her lips on his again.

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_Thank you for your generosity last chapter! Do it again, do it again! :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Thanks to Clover Bay and Grande Vanilla Skim Latte for beta reading this chapter! Yeah, that's right... I have two smokin' hot betas!!_

_Please enjoy this extra long chapter.  
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Monday morning dawned much too early for Hermione. She had spent the majority of Saturday and all of Sunday sewing navy blue curtains the muggle way; magic was no match for the needle and thread method that she learned from her grandmother. She stretched her arms and back, working out the stiffness that was the result of leaning over her sewing machine. Although Bill might not be able to appreciate how hard she had worked, she was happy to have spent her time making something nice for him.

She yawned and rubbed her eyes as she and Crookshanks padded down her hallway in search of coffee and cat treats. She brushed past the wall paper that was perpetually curling away from the wall. No charm or spell she tried would make it stick for more than a few days, and she was hoping Bill had the answer.

Bill. Just the thought of the eldest Weasley boy made a smile spread across her face. She drifted off into a daydream, recalling the way his lips felt as she stole a kiss from him, and how smooth his hair was as her fingers found their way past his broad shoulders. Crookshanks let out an annoyed growl, and Hermione turned her attention to the large clock in her kitchen.

"No!" Hermione groaned, realizing she had just thirty minutes to dress and get to work. She pulled her wand out of her bathrobe pocket and filled Crookshanks' food bowl before pouring her coffee and drinking it while dressing hurriedly for work.

* * *

Bill found himself waiting impatiently for Monday to arrive, and when it finally did, he was at work entirely too early. He tried to fool himself into believing he was getting a jump on the week, but he knew all too well that he was waiting for a chance to talk to Hermione. Hell, even seeing her would be fine with him, because she had been on his mind since Friday evening, and the feel of her kiss didn't seem to be leaving his lips any time soon. He tried to focus on delivering a stack of financial proposals to his boss, but had a difficult time keeping a goofy grin off his face as he headed to the lobby. At least he was in good spirits for a Monday.

"Bill, oh my goodness, is it true?"

He turned on his heel to see Lila, a rather stout woman who worked on his hallway, wringing her hands. She looked anxious, as if she was about to burst. "Is what true, Lila?" he asked as he pushed a button to summon and elevator to take him to his boss.

"Are you really dating Hermione Granger?" Lila asked. Before he could answer, she began to babble. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! It's about time you get out and start over! This is just wonderful! I was just waiting for you to realize your full potential. You are still a very attractive young man! And she is the smartest witch around after all. Any plans for marriage or babies??"

Bill scurried into the elevator, effectively cutting Lila off before she could elaborate any further. "What in the world?" he mused aloud. He blushed and tried to come up with a reason why sweet little Lila would known anything about his almost-date with Hermione.

The elevator dinged letting him know he had arrived at the floor he needed. He made his way down the hallway to the left toward his boss's office, but was once again stopped in his tracks, this time by Dennison, another coworker.

"So, how was your weekend?" Dennison asked with a wicked looking grin.

"It was fine?" Bill replied, his tone more of a question than an answer.

"Oh come off it and tell me if she's a good kisser or not," he pleaded. Bill felt his breath catch before Dennison continued. "Everyone has been talking about how you and Granger were snogging each other's brains out in Diagon Alley on Friday night. So, how was she?"

Bill took four deep breaths and clenched his fists until his knuckles were white. Then he pushed past Dennison, finally realizing where these convoluted stories were coming from. Francine. "_She certainly didn't waste any time_," he thought as he marched into his boss's office. He practically flung the wrinkled reports into Bart's hands.

"Uh, thank you," Bart managed, as Bill turned to leave. "Hang on a second, Bill," he called once Bill was nearly through the doorway once again.

Bill turned on his heel to face his boss. Really, he wanted nothing more than to ream out a certain gossipy secretary, but this had to come first. "Yes?"

Bart cleared his throat. "This is slightly awkward, but I thought it would be a good time to remind you that page 31, section R-18 of the Gringotts' employee handbook addresses all inter-office dating policies and guidelines."

Bill clenched his jaw and grunted a response as his boss dismissed him. He stormed down the hallway with every intention of letting his temper get the best of him. Hermione didn't deserve to be the object of rumors, especially rumors involving him. She deserved better.

He pressed the elevator button over and over until the doors in front of him slid open, revealing the very object of his musings. "Hermione," he mumbled as he saw her, nearly forgetting to step into the lift. She held the door open for him when then began to slide closed again.

"Bill!" she said with a bright smile. "How are you today?" A genuine look of concern caused her brow to crinkle as she examined his angry expression when he entered the elevator.

Bill let his face relax and shared a dashing smile with her. "Nothing now." Being near Hermione made him feel one hundred percent better.

"Oh! Before I forget, I finished your curtains!"

He grinned down at her. She looked exhausted and adorable. "Then I owe your wallpaper a visit."

"Yes you do!" she giggled. "You could stop over tonight after work, if you have time." Hermione ran her hands down her skirt, nervously smoothing the fabric as she awaited a response.

"I will be there," he promised as they exited the lift. She turned toward her office with a small wave, and he watched her until she was out of sight. He practically floated back to his desk, no longer interested in casting the Bat-Bogey Hex on Francine.

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Hermione didn't know what to make of Francine's calculating gaze as it rested on her throughout lunch, or the way she felt everyone was talking about her. She also wasn't sure why Lila gave her a pep talk about the joys of pregnancy during the afternoon coffee break. But, she did know that Bill would be stopping over after work, and this made Hermione's Monday quite pleasant.

Upon arriving home, she ran around frantically fixing her hair and searching for something to change into. She decided on a fitted white t-shirt and her newest pair of jeans. She had finally begun to accept the trousers, despite the way they hugged her hips.

Hermione paced around her apartment, continuously checking to make sure Bill's curtains were neatly folded and the wallpaper was still falling down. She paused to pull a layer of the lilac paper further away from the wall. "That's better," she mumbled, nervously tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. A bright green light emanated from her fireplace, and suddenly Bill appeared in her living room. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the way he took up half of the room with his broad shoulders, a sight she could get used to seeing.

"The curtains are on the dining room table. Follow me."

Bill smiled easily as she led the way into the next room. "Thanks again, Hermione."

She chuckled. "Don't thank me until you see them hanging up in your den. You may tell me to rethink any domesticated movement I make." She picked up one of the navy blue pieces of fabric and handed it to him.

"Hmmm," Bill mused. He took a moment to over-examine every bit of the curtain. "I _think_ you made the curtains correctly," he assured her with a wink. "Which sewing spell did you use?"

"I didn't," she replied.

He ran his fingers along the stitching for a moment as her words sank in. "You sewed these by hand?! That probably took you all weekend!"

Hermione blushed a light pink. "It didn't take that long," she lied.

"Thanks," he whispered. "It means a lot, and I really appreciate it." He watched her pink cheeks grow redder as she turned away from him so he wouldn't see.

"It was my pleasure." She tucked the same strand of hair behind her ear and gave him a small smile. Now that she had him in her apartment, she was afraid he would leave all too quickly. She was really enjoying his relaxed demeanor, and she definitely didn't hate the way he made her blush so easily.

"Wallpaper?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"This way," she told him, and they walked to the hallway that connected her dining room to the kitchen.

Bill smoothed his large hands over her purple wallpaper, and her eyes were fixed on his every move. "My mum knows every household helper charm ever invented, and I swear I saw her use each one as a kid. We should be able to fix this," he told her with conviction. He removed his wand from his pocket and she tried to back up to give him space to work. The hallway was quite small though, so her movements yielded little extra room.

Bill took a step back so that his left arm grazed Hermione shoulder. He tried to hide the chill that her closeness sent along his flesh. It had been a few years since a witch had given him such an urge to reach out and touch her. Once he noticed her waiting for him, he cleared his throat and made an intricate wand movement as he clearly annunciated, "Adhero parities!"

Hermione watched in amazement as a layer of cotton-candy pink goo appeared on her wall. "Was that supposed to happen?" she asked.

Bill laughed. "Of course it was. That's the fantastically sticky glue that will hold your wallpaper in place." He picked up a piece of the limp paper that was dangling off the wall and smoothed it over top of the pink glue. "Just follow my lead."

She started smoothing her own piece of wallpaper back onto the wall, and soon they were laughing easily as their hands became intertwined in the process. Hermione was happy to find that the glue was working, and even happier to find that Bill was working at a slow, steady pace. She didn't want this to end.

As she smoothed her palm over a seam in the paper, some of the glue oozed out onto her hand. "Ok, this glue seems to be working on the wall, but will it come off of my skin?" she held out her hand for Bill to inspect. He took her tiny hand in his and ran his fingers down the side of her palm.

"It should," he whispered. He found himself lost in Hermione's cinnamon colored eyes as he tried to remember which charm would remove glue. He saw a devious look come over Hermione's face as he pondered.

She took a deep breath and turned her glue-coated left palm to meet Bill's right one. "What are you doing?" he asked, somewhat bewildered that he was now stuck to Hermione.

She smiled up at him as she replied, "Your hand felt lovely on mine, and I didn't want you to let go."

Bill's heart did a somersault as she gently used their glued hands to pull him closer to her. She reached up with her free hand and ran her fingertips across his cheek and into his hair. She stared up at him with her bright cinnamon eyes, unsure of whether or not she should make another move.

A series of unintelligible thoughts were flowing through Bill's brain at a rapid pace. The most perfect witch he knew was willingly touching him. Hermione's fingers wound through his hair, making it impossible for him to speak. He was much older and scarred than she was, but she seemed more that happy to drive him crazy.

When he saw her bite her lip, unsure of what she should do, he couldn't fight the urge any longer. He pulled her body flush against his so his free hand was resting on her lower back, enticing a surprised giggle from Hermione. Without another thought, he dipped his head down until his lips met hers. He sighed against her lips as they ghosted across his. Bill allowed his fingers to settle into her soft curls as he deepened the kiss and reveled in the feeling of his right hand being stuck to hers. Hermione managed to pull him even closer to her, earning a deep, throaty groan from Bill; she used the opportunity to run her tongue along his lower lip, and Bill regained his ability to speak.

"Hermione," he breathed against her cheek as her mouth moved to the side of his neck. "Do you think this is a good idea?" He could feel the front of his trousers growing tight as she nibbled the spot next to his Adam's apple.

"Best idea ever," she managed so say as Bill pushed her up against the wall. He maneuvered around their glued hands to gain better access to her body, and she moaned as his touches grew more persistent. He took his turn using his mouth to burn a path of heat along her neck and stopped where her shirt collar began.

"But we work together," he said as his free hand slid under her white shirt and made contact with her back. Hermione grabbed his toned shoulder and leaned her head back as he peppered her neck with kisses. Her hand slid over his broad chest and down his abdomen. Bill growled against her neck, sending chills down Hermione's back.

"Yes," she agreed, nodding her head as his lips found their way back to hers. "We are working pretty damn well together right now," she managed to say between kisses. Bill couldn't help but agree, and took the opportunity to run his left hand up her side, leaving a trail of goose bumps along the flesh in his wake. Licking her lips, Hermione placed her hand on his and guided his fingers up over her bra. Bill slowly thrust his hips against hers as he yanked the fabric down, and his fingers came to rest on her nipple.

Moaning at the feel of his hand on her breast and his erection through his trousers, Hermione grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him deeply. Her lips were beginning to feel tender as he relentlessly nibbled and sucked on them.

When he finally released her lips, Hermione ran her fingers along a scar that ran from just below his eye to the bottom of his cheek, and Bill froze in his progress. His brain came crashing down around him. "We can't do this," he told her, fully aware that she was looking at and touching his scarred features. He quickly removed his hand from her chest and reached for his wand. "Diffigere," he muttered, and Hermione felt that her hand was free from his.

She reached for him, but he was already turning to leave. "What did I do wrong?" she whispered.

He turned back and gave her a half-smile. "You made me feel like I was worth your time. Thanks again for the curtains, Hermione."

She slumped back against the wallpaper as Bill activated the Floo and vanished from her apartment.

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_I hope you enjoyed the snogging! Please review!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading this chapter! I wouldn't be posting this without you!  
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"Wait, wait, hold on… let me get this straight. You were snogging _Hermione Granger_, in her apartment, and you ran off into the night like a sodding idiot?!"

Charlie Weasley sat across from his older brother in a booth at Everard Eddington's Eatery, marveling over what Bill had managed to do the previous night. "We've all done some ridiculous things, but this might top the list," he added.

"Mmm," Bill grunted with a nod of his head. He was cradling his forehead in his palms, rubbing his temples, wishing he had a time-turner so he could return to the previous day.

"I'm speechless." Charlie leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "Utterly speechless."

Bill finally raised his head and took a sip of his water. "Hell, it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't bloody like her so much!" He punctuated his sentence by slamming his water glass down, causing a few of the surrounding patrons to glare at him.

"Look mate, I don't know what your problem is, but you've got to get over it." Charlie leaned closer to the table and softened his tone. "Fleur is gone, Bill. And if you can have a girl like Granger, you're better off. Now figure out a way to make her less pissed off at you, if that's possible!"

Bill pushed his food around his plate, desperately trying to come up with a plan. Charlie was right; there was no sense in him wasting his life, wishing things had gone down an easier path for him. He was very deep in thought when he heard someone calling his name.

"Bill?" He turned to see Lizzie smiling at him from a few feet away. "And Charlie! How are both of you? And Bill, what happened to the cute date you had with you last week?"

"Don't ask," Bill grunted as he stood to let Lizzie give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She then turned to do the same to Charlie, who mouthed "_She still looks hot!_" to Bill during their embrace. Bill had to try to hide his smile while they both chatted with the pretty blonde, who eventually had to go wait on her tables.

By the end of the evening, Bill was left to ponder his predicament alone. It seemed as though Charlie and Lizzie had more in common now than they ever did before. Lizzie ended up pulling a third chair up to their table so she could chitchat during her break, much to Charlie's delight. Bill noticed the way their fingers inched closer together on the tablecloth, and his stomach tightened with an ache that he knew was the result of missing Hermione.

Bill eventually excused himself for the night, leaving an exuberant Charlie leaning on the hostess stand, flirting with Lizzie. She was giggling while Charlie coaxed her into a date for the following weekend. Bill wished he could be as charming and easygoing as his brothers. He slowly made his way through Diagon Alley and out into muggle London on his way home. He realized he would be grasping at straws, but he needed Hermione to understand that he was just scared to let another woman into his life again. But, he was beginning to see that Charlie was right; if he was lucky enough to catch Hermione's attention, he'd better work hard to keep it.

* * *

The way that Bill avoided Hermione all day on Tuesday and Wednesday absolutely infuriated her. It was one thing the run out on her, but it was another to act like she didn't even exist.

As she sat in her living room, she tried to rationalize and examine all of the possibilities, but it didn't add up. Bill's passionate kisses and confident, roaming hands told her he wanted her, but his other actions left room for doubt. Ultimately Bill left her wondering if she could have done anything to make him stay; she had been thinking about it for days.

She angrily pushed aside the work she had brought home for the evening; a stack of papers with the Gringotts letterhead went fluttering to the floor, landing in a heap of disorganized mess that would take at least an hour to sort out the muggle way - and there was no way she wanted to aim her wand at the valuable paperwork with her temper rising.

Hermione huffed and knelt down to pick up the annual financial proposals when an idea came to her. She didn't want to backtrack on the progress she had made with Bill, and she wasn't afraid of making herself vulnerable. If there was a chance she could make him happy, she was going to take it, and if she had to press the issue then so be it. There was a way she could lay everything on the line and get a straight answer in spite of being ignored by Bill. She set to work.

* * *

Bill slumped into his chair bright and early on Thursday morning. The day was cheerful and sunny, almost mocking him as he sat at his desk torn apart. He'd slept very little all week and was ready to drop down in front of Hermione and beg her to give him another opportunity. He just wanted one more chance to have his hand stuck to hers.

As the day moved slowly forward, Bill managed to get through most of his reports and drafts. Just before lunchtime, he came across a proposal which was handwritten on green parchment with the formal letterhead along the top. Puzzled, he opened the document fully to find out more. He froze when he recognized the handwriting, and he sputtered and choked on his coffee when he read the first line.

_**Gringotts Wizarding Bank**_

_Proposal from __Hermione Granger__ for review by __Bill Weasley__._

_Attention: Important, Sensitive Materials Enclosed_

_The purpose of this document is to share and gain knowledge of an existing relationship, and to determine the future standing of the partnership between the parties aforementioned. _

_I, Hermione Jane Granger, am willing to part with any and all feelings which I am currently in possession of if and only if one Mr. William Arthur Weasley responds in such a fashion that clearly denies that the feelings are being returned. If this is not the case, I would like to have a verbal explanation of the feelings, romantic or otherwise, that Mr. Weasley is in possession of. _

_If Mr. Weasley returns certain sentiments, a long-term arrangement may be reached. Goals of said partnership include but are not limited to a romantic relationship between the parties. If both parties are willing to put aside any previous endeavors and admit to feelings of the heart, the partnership can commence. Once both parties have sorted through their ideal correlation, other goals may include dating, kissing and steamy sex. _

_I, Ms. Granger, swear to use care and discretion in the handling of all collateral. Collateral must include your love and your heart, and likewise, you will receive mine in return. Any previous relationships entered by both parties in which said collateral was exchanged will be negated and no longer mentioned if this partnership is forged. _

_Any interest earned will be shared equally by both parties._

_Bill, will you take my heart in exchange for yours? Please respond within one business day. _

Bill nearly fell out of his chair as he read and reread Hermione's words to him. She had used the basic template for a Gringotts financial proposal, but he had never read anything so intimate, so appealing in his entire life. She knew without him saying a word that Fleur had done a number on his ego, and yet Hermione wasn't intimidated by this. His eyes once again found the line where Hermione had written, "_other goals may include dating, kissing and steamy sex_." His was floored into overdrive as he envisioned her with her head thrown back, gasping his name. He needed to let Hermione know where he stood on this matter, and he needed to do it immediately.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! There will be one more chapter, maybe two with an epilogue of sorts. Please review! _


	9. Chapter 9

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading for me! I wouldn't be posting this without you!_

_

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_

By lunchtime, Hermione was twitchy and nervous. She hadn't heard anything from Bill, and she was beginning to worry that her proposal somehow got pushed to the bottom of his inbox. Or maybe he just wasn't interested.

She couldn't focus. When she went to drop off files for Francine, she kept nervously tapping the tip of her quill on the wall. "Do you mind?" Francine had snarled. Hermione tapped louder.

And then when Hermione had to go sign a document in the Foreign Currency department, she got completely lost in a maze of cubicles. This was further evidence that her mind was elsewhere.

"Damn it, Bill," she muttered, sitting at her desk, completely ignoring her lunch. It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't just laid everything out in the open for him. For all she knew, he was having a laugh over her proposal with his friends. No, that wasn't Bill.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione gathered all of the patience she possessed, and she was able to get lost in some of her work. Just when she had finished proofreading a quarterly financial pamphlet, a violet interoffice memo flew into her door and landed on her desk. She quickly unfolded the purple parchment and felt her heart skip faster as she stared at Bill's neat handwriting.

_Hermione,_

_Please meet me at my cottage tonight at 8._

_-Bill_

She quickly reread the note before groaning loudly. "What does it mean?!" she asked her empty office. The memo had held no emotion, no sign of his reaction. She turned the paper over, looking for some sort of clue as to his intentions. Nothing.

The clock on the wall told her she would need to be patient for six more hours. Hermione's head firmly met the top of her desk as she gave up all hope of getting any more work done.

* * *

Bill was a bundle of nerves. He ran about his cottage, lighting candles and blowing them out a number of times before settling on a small lamp. He had spent two cautious hours baking lasagna, making certain to follow the recipe _and_ monitor the cooking time. Everything was set, and he stood in his den wearing blue jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

Running his hand through his long hair, he muttered, "I feel like a firstie with a crush." This was ridiculous; he was a grown man, divorced and scarred, and yet Hermione managed to make his stomach wrap itself in knots. And she wanted him. For some crazy reason she wanted him.

Suddenly the floo was activated, and the very object of his thoughts was presented before him.

"Bill," Hermione whispered, eyeing his reaction and kneading her hands together nervously.

"Hermione," he responded as his heart pounded. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms, but he needed to talk to the witch first. "Can we talk?" He led her over to his loveseat and sat next to her. As he pulled her proposal out of his pocket, Hermione blushed a deep crimson red.

"That was, uh, written on the spur of the moment…."

Bill smiled at her as she stammered. "I could tell it was slightly out of character for you," he told her, and she tried to hide her face in her palms. "Don't get me wrong, it was very flattering," he added, gently pulling her hands back down to her lap. "Just answer one question for me, Hermione. Why did you write it?"

Hermione's eyes fluttered closed as he spoke her name. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes as she told him, "Because I think I've fallen for you."

Bill's head felt like he was sinking below the surface of a pool of water, and he was having a difficult time breathing. "But you are far too young, and you have too much ahead of you, Hermione. You can't actually mean that."

Hermione was suddenly on her feet, hands firmly planted on her denim clad hips, standing before him. "William Weasley, I happen to know exactly what I want, and your laundry list of supposed 'negative' attributes will not deter me."

"But I'm too old for you," he persisted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Bill, you are many things, but you are not old."

"I'm going to be thirty-two."

Hermione groaned. "That means nothing to me when you also happen to be intelligent, exceptionally kind, loving, and ridiculously attractive."

Bill was momentarily speechless. He carefully watched Hermione as she stood before him, eyes flashing, daring him to speak. "But I have scars. All over my body. Not just on my face. A reminder of just how close Greyback came to forcing me into living another life."

Hermione's features immediately softened. "Hasn't anyone ever told you? Women think scars are sexy."

Bill cracked a small smile as Hermione ran her thumb along the slightly raised scar that ran along the left side of his jaw and leered at him with a wink. He took her hand in his as her fingers reached his mouth, and he kissed her palm. Hermione held steady eye contact with him as his lips played along her wrist, and soon her other hand drifted to tangle in his hair.

"But I'm divorced too, Hermione," he added, getting lost in the feel of her hands, but still determined to get his point across. "Fleur stopped loving me, and I can't bear to be treated that way ever again."

"I couldn't treat you that way," she whispered.

"Thank Merlin you're different, Hermione. Your compassion is compelling. You even have compassion for an old, scarred divorcee," he said with a chuckle.

"Thank Merlin you're bloody divorced, Bill," Hermione told him, completely exasperated. "Or else what I'm about to do would be a huge mistake!"

She leaned the rest of the way down until her lips met his, and Bill wrapped his arms around her waist. Hermione squealed as she was yanked onto his lap where he continued the kiss. Bill nibbled on her lower lip, and teased her lips with the tip of his tongue, causing Hermione to grind her hips against his as she straddled him, arousing the pair further.

Bill finally let her know what he was made of; unlike the evening of the wallpaper incident, he held back none of his fervor. As he pulled her flush against his solid chest, he let his hands slide inside her blouse, coming into contact with her flesh. The heat in the witch's eyes let him know he hadn't completely lost his touch.

Hermione reveled in the way she was firmly held in place between Bill's chest and his large hand. As she studied his face between kisses, she saw the concern disappearing from his hazel eyes. While her tongue explored his mouth, her fingers found the buttons of his shirt and started to undo each one. Bill had been right; it wasn't only his face covered in scars. She ran her hands down his chest and along his muscular abdomen as she kissed him deeply. "So, so sexy," she whispered against his mouth.

Bill groaned and grasped her swaying hips, holding her steady as he composed his thoughts. Looking into her deep eyes, he said, "Hermione, if you can deal with my scars, you can have every part of me. Including my heart."

Hermione grinned, knowing she had finally won the prize she had been working for. "I guess it was a good thing I wrote the proposal."

Bill nodded as he ran hand his hands up and down her back. "And you know, we can take this nice and slow if you'd like to. No rush."

Hermione smirked devilishly. "I don't want to take it _that_ slow." And with that, Hermione pulled him to his feet, urging him to lead the way to his bedroom.

* * *

_Ok, so I know I didn't get to the steamy bedroom part, but please don't kill me yet! It will be in the next chapter... as long as you all review this one! Thanks for reading! _


	10. Chapter 10

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading for me!_

_

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_

Bill wasn't too surprised by the way Hermione encouraged him down the hallway and into his bedroom. He was however surprised by the way she managed to remove every memory of him sharing the room with Fleur from his mind in a matter of minutes.

By the time they reached the doorway, his shirt and belt had been discarded, and she was reaching for his blue jeans. "Why are these still on?" she asked him between heated kisses.

Bill grunted, "They probably shouldn't be." Hermione made fast work of removing them and tossing them clear to the other side of the room, leaving Bill standing in his plaid boxer shorts.

As she started on the buttons of her own blouse, Bill covered her tiny hands in his own much larger ones. "This is one part that _I_ don't want to rush."

Gently, he scooped the witch into his arms and carried her to his oversized bed. When he went to set her on the edge of the mattress, she kept her arms wrapped around his neck; she managed to engage him in another round of kisses as she lay across his bedspread. Bill reached down and slowly unbuttoned her blouse, never removing his gaze from her face which was illuminated by the moon shining through his windows. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as he spread her shirt open and ran his fingers over her creamy flesh.

"Beautiful," he whispered against her bare stomach, kissing and worshipping her body. Hermione had to bite her lip as Bill's lips made their way up her body, kissing and nipping her breasts through the thin fabric of her bra. As his lips found hers once more, his hands made leeway on her jeans, carefully sliding them over her curves and down her legs until they landed on the floor.

Hermione deftly rolled over on top of Bill, pushing him down on his back and straddling his hips. By the look of determination and the smirk on her face, Bill knew she would be demanding his attention; he propped his head up with his arms and accepted a kiss from her.

"You must be crazy, Mr. Weasley," Hermione muttered against his lips. "From where I'm sitting, I don't see a single, damn thing that I find unappealing." She made a production of sitting straight up and examining his muscular body. Bill had been correct; his upper body was speckled with scars and blemishes. But as Hermione ran her hands along them, she could only think about how brave he had been, and how strong he clearly was.

Their eyes met in the moonlit room, clearly conveying Hermione's sincerity, and Bill's heart skipped a little faster. He chuckled as she leaned down to kiss the side of his neck. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"I was merely being honest," she whispered next to his ear, sending a small shiver down the length of his body. Taking a deep breath, he let himself enjoy the moment, unlike the evening they spent fixing her wallpaper, during which he had let his nervous emotion get the best of him.

He allowed Hermione to run her fingers over his scars and pepper his skin with kisses, becoming enthralled by the way her small hands aroused his body and calmed his mind. Finally she sat up again, grinding her hips down against his. Bill sucked in a breath as she reached behind her back and freed her breasts from the confines of her bra. Her half-lidded eyes and pink swollen lips drove him mad as his hands roamed over her newly exposed flesh.

Soon, Bill had Hermione at the edge of reason as she gasped out his name. Each time she pressed her hips against him, she met his hard length through his boxers, and every time she leaned away, he pulled her back. Hermione moaned as his fingers skimmed across her nipples. "Bill, I want you," she gasped into the silvery dark room. She rolled onto her back and guided his hands to her knickers which he removed at a slow pace that made Hermione want to cry out. Finally Bill stood and divested himself of his boxer shorts before returning to his spot on top of Hermione.

She reached out, pulling him closer to her core, needing all of him. Bill bit his lip and groaned loudly as the beautiful witch underneath him slowly took his entire length. She pushed her hips against his, and soon they found a rhythm that steady and unhurried and pleasurable beyond Bill's wildest dreams. Hermione looked at him with tenderness and love so intense, it was barely concealed by her passion.

Every shudder and moan that the witch emitted was breathtaking, and Bill was left hoping he could fulfill her needs before he succumbed to her spectacular body. Sensing his thoughts, Hermione reached a hand behind his neck and pulled his lips to meet hers, hoping to convince him that she was getting everything she needed and wanted.

"Ohh!" Hermione gasped as Bill quickened his pace, a small smirk appearing at the corners of his mouth as she released his lips. He was enthralled by Hermione and the way her hair was spread over his bedding and the way her legs wrapped perfect around his waist.

"Oh! Oh my! Bill!" she called out as she grabbed at his biceps, her words quickly becoming incoherent. Soon Bill's thrusts became more purposeful, bringing both of them to climax, feeling her body curve up to meet his as they came.

Bill collapsed with an appreciative groan next to Hermione. He pulled her onto his chest where she snuggled up, using him as her pillow. As she gently caressed his abdomen, Bill kissed the top of her head.

"That was… wow," he whispered against her messy hair. She nodded in agreement. Unsure of her reaction, he added, "But of course practice makes perfect. We could try it again later." This had been his first time since his wife left him, and although he enjoyed every moment immensely, he wanted to be sure Hermione had as well.

She turned her face to meet his unsure gaze. "I will demand that you make love to me for the rest of the night… just as soon as I'm able to stand. You wore me out." She winked at him, and Bill chuckled as he held his witch close to him.

* * *

Bill and Hermione took a quick break around midnight when they made their way back to the kitchen to reheat the lasagna that Bill had made for dinner. After they had both had their fill, Hermione initiated more kisses, which initiated more love making in the kitchen. Bill was certain he'd never view his breakfast nook the same way ever again.

Finally, Bill carried her back to his bed where they eventually fell asleep with Hermione draped across Bill's chest. He slept little, enjoying the feel of her and her steady breathing.

At six o'clock, they both jumped up in bed as Bill's alarm clock sounded, blaring a Weird Sisters song so loudly, Hermione covered her ears. Bill quickly silenced it with his wand. "Shit! It's Friday," he acknowledged aloud.

Hermione's jaw dropped. "We have to be at work! Soon!"

Taking her hand in his, Bill made a dash for his shower. They shared the stream of hot water, and Bill took a few moments to tease her as they made sure they were both squeaky clean for work.

Bill dressed quickly, leaving his bathroom and bedroom for Hermione to prepare herself. He made toast and jam while he filled two mugs with coffee. As he double checked to make sure he had everything he needed in his briefcase, Hermione strolled into the kitchen.

"Do you mind if I borrow this?" Hermione asked. Bill's breath caught in his throat as he looked to see her wearing one of his dress shirts with her pair of blue jeans. She looked tiny in his clothes, and he felt suddenly protective of her. Not to mention that the idea of having her wearing his clothes around Gringotts all day made him want to take her on the breakfast nook again, immediately.

"I don't mind," he confirmed, regaining control of his thoughts as she pulled out her wand and charmed the shirt to fit her curves better.

"I love casual Fridays," she said with a wink as she took a bite of toast.

Bill finished his coffee and set down his mug with a grin. "You should be around here for casual Saturday. It usually consists of very little clothing and lots of time in bed."

"I sincerely hope that's an invitation," Hermione stated pointedly as Bill led her to the fireplace so they could floo to work.

* * *

_Oh how I love writing about Bill! I hope you liked the steamy part! Please review! :)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Thanks go out to Clover Bay for beta reading for me!_

_

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_

When Bill and Hermione both arrived in the massive Gringotts lobby at the same time, and from the same floo, they earned a few curious looks from their co-workers. Bill noticed that Hermione seemed slightly uneasy about this, and decided that perhaps this wasn't the best time to hold her hand or kiss her, although he really wanted to do both.

As they started to walk down a corridor, Bill recalled the discussion they'd had the previous night. Hermione had brought up the very valid point that they needed to act as they always had when they were at work. They couldn't let on that they were anything other than friends. It was of the utmost importance to keep their usual, professional distance from one another.

"See you at lunch?" he asked her as they neared her office. It wouldn't be completely out of character for them to sit together during their break.

"Sure," she muttered with a small smile as she darted inside, leaving him alone in the hallway. Bill sighed as he wound his way through the building to his own office. Being with Hermione was going to be quite challenging with them sharing the same work venue.

But when he thought about how well they shared his bed, a gigantic grin appeared on his face. The previous night surpassed all of his expectations; it was his first time being intimate with someone since Fleur had moved out, and Hermione hadn't kept her hands and lips off of him long enough to articulate a complaint. Although it hadn't been a particularly wild night, Bill definitely saw how passionate Hermione was, in and out of the bedroom. In fact, she had made him feel like a regular stud right up until they arrived at work.

Shaking his thoughts clear, he addressed the papers stacked up on his desk.

* * *

By midmorning, Hermione faced up to the fact that she needed to ask Francine to help her copy and file a report that she had written for an important investor. It had taken her over two hours to write the bloody thing, because her mind inevitably switched from finances back to Bill without any warning, and she wasn't about to ruin it now by processing it incorrectly.

Sighing, she gathered up her papers and waded through the cubicles on the main floor until she found Francine.

"Excuse me, Francine," she began as she watched the blonde woman filing her nails at her desk. "I need your help."

Francine impatiently glared upwards at Hermione, sighed and then practically whined. "Right now? It's almost time for lunch, Miss Granger."

Hermione bit her lip; it was nearly an hour and a half before lunchtime. "Yes. Now."

Instead of responding, Francine was carefully examining Hermione's outfit. A nervous feeling washed over her as the blonde set down her nail file and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you wearing a men's shirt?" she quickly asked.

"I-," Hermione had no idea what to say.

Luckily, Francine continued. "Actually, I really don't want to know who that belongs to." She made a sour face. "And honestly, that just looks sloppy on you with those blue jeans and your hair in a ponytail."

Through clenched teeth, Hermione managed to snarl, "It's casual Friday. If you haven't noticed this is what everyone wears. You seem to be the only person who can't last an entire day without wearing a miniscule skirt and seven pounds of makeup lacquered on your face."

Francine was scowling, studying Hermione's clothes, trying to come up with more material to mock her with, when suddenly the corners of her mouth turned up into an acidic grin. "I know whose shirt you're wearing," Francine sang in her irritatingly shrill voice.

"No, you don't," Hermione replied, but her voice started to falter.

"Let's see, the light pinstripes on the inside of the collar are Gryffindor red," Francine began, "and the buttons say 'Class of 1989', and that is clearly a men's shirt."

Hermione felt her heart pounding wildly. "W-what's your point?"

Francine's malicious grin had reached her eyes, and Hermione was afraid. "My point is, Miss Granger, that you're wearing the shirt that belongs to the Gryffindor house Head Boy from 1989, and if I'm not mistaken, that happens to be Bill Weasley."

The air around Hermione suddenly felt very thick. After having spent just one night together, she and Bill were about to be found out. Hermione was ready to kick herself; she had thought that she'd just grabbed a plain white dress shirt from his closet!

Completely outraged, Hermione thrust the papers at Francine. "Make four copies, send two copies to the address provided, and have these original documents back on my desk _before lunchtime_," she demanded, before turning on her heel and fleeing the scene.

* * *

Bill was waiting impatiently at one of the cafeteria tables when Hermione arrived for lunch. As soon as he saw her, he knew for certain that the rumors he had heard must be true. He just hoped she hadn't actually been in a fist fight like Dennison had told him during their coffee break…

"Well, I'm pretty sure everyone knows about us," she told him entirely too casually as she plopped down across from him, taking a bite out of an apple.

"Yeah… I heard you had a… disagreement with Francine this morning…"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but I find her so infuriating! She makes me want to scream," Hermione hissed. "She baited me! You should have been there, Bill! It was like she already knew, even before I said a word, like she bloody well _knew_ that I spent the entire night tangled up in your sheets!"

A smile crept on to Bill's face as he pictured a very nude Hermione wrapped in his bedding, grabbing for his body.

"I wonder if Francine is related to Rita Skeeter," Hermione mused, pulling Bill back to the present. "She is way too good at reading me!"

Bill shrugged as he devoured a cookie. "Well now we wait. Maybe nobody will say anything."

* * *

Luck was not with Bill and Hermione. All of the older, gossipy women who got their latest information from Francine had made Hermione the talk of the office, and most of them smiled when they saw her wearing Bill's shirt. She was getting so twitchy from all of their gazes that she finally covered herself in an oversized black cloak that she kept in her closet for when the office was too cold. Too bad the office was exceptionally warm.

Bill on the other hand had been forced to endure congratulatory slaps on his back and random grins from guys he didn't even know very well. He had decided to just walk away, fists clenched, after Dennison had clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Snagged you a hot little bird, didn't you?"

And to make the day more irritating, Francine had taken it upon herself to make two copies of page 31, section R-18 of the Gringotts' employee handbook, and she made sure to leave one in Hermione's inbox and the other in Bill's.

When the end of the day had finally arrived, Hermione was waiting by the floo connections for Bill.

"Why don't you come back over, and I can cook dinner for us," Bill suggested when he saw how exhausted she looked.

"Um, maybe I should cook so we don't end up going to Everard's again," Hermione joked.

"Come over. We can sit in the den by a fire later."

"Next to the beautiful curtains that I made for you!" Hermione added with a smile.

"See, you practically belong there already! Come on, I'll teach you how to have Casual Saturday tomorrow." Bill winked, and Hermione followed him eagerly into the floo.

* * *

_Ugh, Francine is awful!  
_

_Thanks for reading and please review!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading for me!!_

_

* * *

_

Bill was very pleased to find that not only did Hermione enjoy the concept of Casual Saturday, she was also an active participant, coming up with new ideas for them to try.

For example, when Bill rolled over at six o'clock, ready to get up and have breakfast, Hermione reached across his muscular, scarred chest and pulled him back into bed. But, he was surprised to find that she didn't want to go back to sleep. Instead, he ended up on the receiving end of a back massage, and he was more than willing to return the favor once she had finished.

After all, how often did he wake to find a delightful, delicious, naked woman in his bed? He was hoping that he'd start finding her there more often than not.

Now, he was reveling in the feel of her hands on his chest; they had been cuddling for a few hours, talking about anything and everything. Bill couldn't remember a better Saturday in recent memory.

"Well, I suppose we've lounged around long enough," Hermione finally sighed, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around her chest.

Bill chuckled and propped his head up with his arms. "Hermione, this is Casual Saturday. You can do anything you want."

Hermione looked thoughtfully about the room before she lowered the sheet and exposed her flesh to Bill. "I'd fancy a shower," she decided with a nod.

"My shampoos and soap are all in there, and clean towels are on the shelves," he told her, happy that she decided what she wanted to do.

Standing, Hermione placed her hands on her hips. "Care to join me?"

Bill took in the sight before him. Although Hermione looked well rested, it was obvious that she had been good and thoroughly shagged. Her bottom lip was slightly swollen, and there was a deep red bite mark on her collar bone. All of her curly, unruly hair was sticking in various directions, the result of Bill's fingers running through it and pulling on it the night before. At that moment, Hermione Granger was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. And she was inviting him into the shower with her.

Instantly, Bill was out of the bed and on his feet, leading the way into his bathroom at the far end of the bedroom. She giggled behind him as she was practically yanked into the smaller room. Bill reached for the taps in the shower and pulled her into a kiss while the water heated up. He wrapped his arms around her, taking pleasure in her soft skin pressed against him.

The steamy heat from the shower was no match for Bill's fingertips gently gliding down Hermione's ribs, and soon she felt a chill run through her body. No wonder making love to him was so pleasurable for her; just the feel of his hands on her skin had her shivering in anticipation. She involuntarily ground her hips against his and whimpered against his mouth as he deepened the kiss. As Bill explored her mouth, she could feel him growing harder against her.

"I think the water is ready," Hermione gasped. The room had become filled with steam, evidence that their lips had been locked for some time.

Bill responded by pulling her into the steamy stream of water. Hermione slipped along the tub floor, and Bill pulled her against his chest to keep her steady. "You all right?"

"Mmm," she hummed as her lips returned to his. "Now I am." She snaked her arms around his neck and squeaked when Bill pushed her up against the tiled wall. "That's cold!"

Chuckling, Bill whispered, "I'll keep you warm." Hermione shivered again, both from his promise and the cold tiles.

While the steamy water cascaded through her hair and along her body, she could feel Bill's hands and lips mimicking the motion. He worked her into a state of desire, until she was gasping his name. She needed to have him again, right there, pressed between the shower wall and his warm body.

What could have been a twenty minute shower turned into an nearly an hour of love making. Bill took his time. Although he knew Hermione needed him, it was for his own pleasure to hear her gasping his name each time his lips came in contact with her body.

Hermione finished showering with a bright smile on her face and legs that would barely allow her to stand properly. It wasn't until they were both dressed for that day that she told Bill, "If that's what happens on Casual Saturdays, you can count me in for next week as well."

* * *

Bill made sure to extend the invitation to his lovely Hermione each and every Saturday. With the exception of one weekend, she was at his house for two straight months' worth of Saturdays; the weekend during which Crookshanks got sick had, instead, been spent at Hermione's apartment. The change of venue wasn't able to deter them, and she had actually been rather impressed with Bill's bedside manner when it came to her beloved pet. She took plenty of time to show him just how sweet she thought he was.

This was the happiest Bill had been in a long time. With the exception of the increased stress at work associated with his desire for Hermione, everything seemed to be clicking into place. In fact, Fred and George even managed to stop teasing him about Hermione, although that was replaced with them pondering exactly what such a 'hottie' saw in their eldest brother. Yes, Bill was enjoying his life.

That is until the Wednesday morning when Francine sneered at him as she walked past briskly to knock on Bart Dunner's office door. This wouldn't have worried Bill in the slightest, as Francine was rarely friendly to him any longer, but Bart was his supervisor. And, Francine was clearly out for blood.

* * *

_Ooooh, what's Francine up to?? _

_I hope you enjoyed this, even though this chapter was a little shorter than the others. Next chapter will be the final one, followed by a tiny ending chapter. _

_Thanks for reading! Please leave me a reivew and let me know what you think!  
_


	13. Chapter 13

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading and for being generally wonderful!_

_

* * *

_"Ah, Francine, how can I help you?" Bart Dunner asked, setting his work to the side as the younger blonde woman entered his office.

"Mr. Dunner, I wanted to run something past you," she told him, a malicious smile beginning to cover her lips. "Are you aware that page 31, section R-18 of the Gringotts' employee handbook restricts two employees from fraternizing romantically?"

As Francine rambled on about said guidelines in her rather shrill voice, Bart cringed and remembered exactly why it was that he wasn't too fond of this woman. There had been one rather obnoxious incident at last year's holiday party in which his wife had been embarrassed by Francine. She was a gossip, and her remarks were poison for his other employees and everyone around her.

"Francine," he interjected, cutting off her ranting, "does this conversation have a point?"

Giddily, Francine swooped down into the open chair on the opposite side of Bart's desk. "Yes, and I'm so glad to hear that you want to get to the bottom of this. You see, I know on good report that Bill Weasley is fraternizing romantically with none other than Hermione Granger. Can you believe it?! They both work together!"

"They work in different departments," Bart corrected.

"But, their departments overlap frequently, and Bill is always dropping off financial statements for Hermione to authorize for new Gringotts' customers. It's really inappropriate for them to be dating, don't you agree?"

At this point, Bart was very confused. "Actually, Francine, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger each have sterling reputations here, and I've seen very little evidence of any issue concerning the two of them together." Of course Bart had heard the rumors, but Bill reported directly to him, and he didn't foresee any unprofessional behavior on the horizon. And, furthermore, Francine was beginning to grate on his nerves.

"But, sir, I actually saw them together in Diagon Alley! I'm telling you, soon this is going to get out of hand. They will be the talk of the office, and nobody will be able to get any work done!" she practically squealed.

"Enough," Bart told her with finality, pounding his fist and causing the coffee mug on his desk to rattle. Francine's brow furrowed as Bart leaned further across the desk and lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. "I've had it. There wouldn't be any gossip around Gringotts if it weren't for you, Francine." He jabbed his finger in her face before he continued. "As long as Bill and Hermione uphold professional behavior while at work, my hands are tied, regardless of what the handbook says."

"But-"

"No, I'm not finished." Bart stood abruptly, his chair scraping the floor as it skidded backwards, and started to rifle through his file cabinet as he continued. "You should mind your own business. It would do you some good. Honestly, I still remember you telling everyone at the holiday party, rather loudly, that my wife sings karaoke like a mountain troll." As he pulled a yellow file from the drawer, he turned to look at her. "I will have you know that I happen to l_ove_ the way Margaret sings!" he bellowed.

Francine paled and sunk further back into the chair. "I didn't mean-"

"But, I can see where you _are _correct though- gossip spreads through Gringotts rather quickly. So perhaps you should stop fraternizing with Dennison in the copy room during the afternoon break before I have to fire one of you."

Francine blushed and started to stutter. She had no idea anyone knew that she had been snogging Dennison on a regular basis. "W-Well, I just-"

"One last thing before you leave. Go ahead and read through this file. It contains your transfer out of my department. I think you'll be much happier on the lower floor where there isn't much news to gossip about."

* * *

Things were almost too quiet around the office, and Bill was nervous. Ever since he saw the determined way that Francine barged into their boss' office, he was waiting for the Blast-Ended Skrewt dung to hit the fan.

By the time he met with Hermione for lunch, he was still puzzled. Most of the secretaries had been oddly quiet all day, and he just didn't understand why. Usually they were chirping about this and squawking about that, much to his annoyance when he needed to ask one of them for help. Today was different, and he just knew it was because of Francine.

When Hermione cautiously took the seat across from him, Bill raised an eyebrow at her strange posture.

"Have you seen Francine today?" Hermione asked carefully. Francine had been making her relationship with Bill a living hell during work hours. She suspected it was because Dennison didn't want to date her, even though everyone knew about them snogging in the copy room.

"Earlier, why?"

"Well, she appears to be packing up her desk at the moment."

Bill eyed Hermione, who eyed him back, and then they both jumped out of their seats and hurried out of the cafeteria and through the sea of cubicles to Francine's desk.

"She's gone," Bill whispered.

Hermione turned to two of the other women who had desks in the vicinity. "Excuse me, do you know where Francine went?"

A young brunette woman turned to face them. "Oh, the worst thing happened! Mr. Dunner had her transferred!"

"Transferred?" asked Hermione and Bill simultaneously, stunned by the news.

"Yes! To the _lower floor_! Can you believe it?" The girl looked devastated and visibly shuddered. "She'll be working with the goblins now. They are so unpleasant!" The woman turned back to her work, obviously upset over loss of her officemate.

Hermione smiled brightly. "Yes, they are rather unpleasant," she said as they walked back toward the cafeteria.

"They have so much in common! She should get along just fine with them," Bill added with a grin. He leaned down to kiss Hermione's cheek, but he was met with her hand in his face.

"No. Francine might be gone, but we still have to act as we always have."

Bill started to pout. "But I just wanted a kiss," he whispered.

Hermione's cheeks became a little flushed as she glanced at the number of people working around them. She bit her lip. "Will you let me make it up to you later?"

Bill's eyes went wide for a split second before he cleared his throat. "I think we can work that out. How about 6 o'clock, my bedroom?"

"Don't be late," Hermione told him with a nod before she left him standing there to ponder precisely how she would be making it up to him.

* * *

_Francine has been sent to the Gringotts goblins *evil laughter*_

_There's just one more little ending chapter left! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think :)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Earning Interest by WeasleyForMe_

_Hermione is trying to win the affection of Bill Weasley... but he seems to be immune to her advances. Bill/Hermione! _

_This is a gift for my friend Shiva'sGirl who requested a Bill/Hermione story! _

_Big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading and for being fantastic!_

_

* * *

_Bill awoke on his birthday refreshed and at ease, feelings that had seemed to join him around the same time that Hermione had. He fervently hoped that neither would leave him any time soon.

Gingerly he stretched and crossed the cold floor to his bathroom, starting to prepare for another day of work. Hermione had made an excuse the previous evening, needing to stay at home to take care of Crookshanks. He had read _Sherlock Holmes_ in his underwear in front of a fire with a class of double malt firewhisky, and had rather enjoyed the temporary solitude. But, honestly, if his witch wasn't going to join him tonight for his birthday, he would just have to go over to her apartment and demand that she spend the night with him.

As was his new Friday morning habit, Bill entered the building through the main lobby of Gringotts. He just liked to check up on Francine, and today he found her looking quite agitated. Although she towered over him, she was being sermonized by a very cantankerous looking goblin. Chuckling, Bill made his way to one of the lifts as he heard Francine trying to argue with the goblin before she was firmly cut off.

As he took the lift to the fourth floor, his thoughts returned to Hermione. She really was a wonderful girlfriend, and although he wasn't expecting a birthday gift from her, extravagant or otherwise, he was hoping she would bake him a cake or something. When he stepped out of the elevator, imagination wandering to Hermione wearing an apron in his kitchen, he spotted the very object of his thoughts and dreams.

Bill's jaw dropped; Hermione was standing at Dennison's desk, and she was wearing one of those beyond sexy suits that made him lose his mind. Her black skirt was a few inches above her knees, causing him to remember how her legs feel when they are around his waist. She had her hair pulled into a loose bun with a few curls framing her face, and her unbuttoned coat revealed enough of a lacy white blouse to stop the mail clerk dead in his tracks.

Bill realized he was staring, but he wasn't the only one. While Hermione was trying to sort though a folder, it was clear that Dennison's attention was focused on her legs and her legs alone. Smiling, Hermione set the folder on his desk and turned to walk away, causing Bill's heart to pound outrageously. He watched he walk away, hips swaying, heels clicking on the floor.

"Hermione," he croaked out, rushing down the hallway behind her. His voice was stuck in the back of his throat, and his trousers were getting very tight.

"Bill!" she exclaimed brightly, turning back to face him. "Happy birthday!"

The birthday boy merely nodded his head slightly. It was obvious that his attention wasn't on her words, and Hermione smirked, thoroughly pleased that he seemed to be enjoying her attire. She leaned in and whispered, "I left a cupcake on your desk. Devil's food." And, with a wink, she disappeared down the hallway and into a conference room. Bill made a move to follow her, but the door closed, signaling the start of a meeting.

Grunting, he adjusted his too tight trousers at his waist and hurried to his office. Sure enough, he found a cupcake sitting on the center of his desk, a red heart drawn on the top in frosting. A lopsided smile covered his face, and he took a small bite. When he moved the dessert, he saw that it had been on top of a piece of green parchment and started to read it while he ate.

* * *

_**Gringotts Wizarding Bank**_

_Proposal from __Hermione Granger__ for review by __Bill Weasley__._

_Attention: Important, Sensitive Materials Enclosed_

_The purpose of this document is to wish Mr. William Arthur Weasley a very happy birthday. _

_I, Hermione Jane Granger, am most willing to go above and beyond the duties of a girlfriend to ensure that a happy birthday is had. This includes but is not limited to such acts as preparing a delicious dinner, giving a soothing back massage, making love against the bathroom wall, making love in front of the fire, making love on the stairs, and staying in bed most of the weekend._

_If Mr. Weasley requests further attentions, I, Ms. Granger, will fully consider said requests. _

_Please respond as soon as possible, so the proper festivities can commence. _

_

* * *

_

Bill dropped his half eaten cupcake onto his desk. He had more than a few extra ideas to run past his lover, and he was going to start with pulling her out of her meeting and apparating them both to his cottage. He felt a pressing urgency to deposit her onto his dining room table, run his hands up her stocking covered legs, and make love to her in that sexy suit.

Bill Weasley pounded on the door to Conference Room 11, interrupted a financial meeting, and pointed to Hermione Granger.

"I will be requiring further attention, immediately," he told her. Everyone seated at the long table looked rather baffled.

Wordlessly, Hermione stood, packed her things and walked out after Bill, and moments later they appeared in his dining room. Bill had a very happy birthday with the promise of many more to be celebrated in a similar fashion.

* * *

_There you have it, the final chapter! I have loved working on this story, and I'm so sad to see it end. Well, I mean I'm happy too, because Bill and Hermione deserve a happy ending, but I will miss writing this story! _

_I hope you have enjoyed it and will leave me just one more review :)_

_Thanks for reading!  
_


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